Vaccine Plan in U.S. May Endanger Supply, Lancet Says

A U.S. plan to rely on swine flu vaccines without ingredients to stretch the supply would reduce the number of available shots just when other countries need them most, the British journal Lancet said in an editorial.

The ingredients, called adjuvants, have never been approved for flu vaccines in the U.S. and are controversial because some studies show they cause immune disorders in mice. The World Health Organization recommended on July 7 that adjuvants be used to boost global amounts of vaccine, and the Lancet criticized the U.S. for plans to rely exclusively on standard formulations.